05/23/2012 5:17PM

Bodemeister targets Haskell; Creative Cause may try turf

By Steve Andersen
Email
Kim Pratt
Bodemeister is being pointed to the Haskell at Monmouth Park.

Bodemeister and Creative Cause, second and third behind I’ll Have Another in the Preakness Stakes, will pass the Belmont Stakes in New York on June 9 and will be on different career paths this summer.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday that Bodemeister will be pointed to the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 29.

“He could use a breather,” Baffert said.

Owned by Zayat Stables, Bodemeister won the Arkansas Derby in April and was second in the Kentucky Derby.

Creative Cause, fifth in the Kentucky Derby, may start on turf later this summer, trainer Mike Harrington said. He said there is a “50-50” chance that Creative Cause will start in the $150,000 Swaps Stakes for 3-year-olds over 1 1/8 miles at Hollywood Park on July 4.

There are two graded stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Del Mar this summer that could fit in Harrington’s plans for Creative Cause – the La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 11 and the Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2. Creative Cause races for Heinz Steinmann.

“He’s happy and healthy,” Harrington said of the colt. “I’m going to give him a little time. I’ll back off him a little while. I’ll probably run him on the grass.

“I’ll have to determine if he is a turf horse. You never know until you try it.”

cmtot More than 1 year ago
I think Mike Harrington made a good decision to run Creative Cause on the grass..I bet you this horse will be better on the grass..
Greg Rouch More than 1 year ago
Giant's Causeway ran super in BC Cup, but he never won on anything but grass. Cr Cs is very good on dirt, might prove even better on turf. Can always go back to dirt.
Grass Is Greener More than 1 year ago
Giant's Causeway ran every race except one on grass, that was the Breeders' Cup Classic in which Michael Kinane lost the rein when he tried to switch the whip from left to right. You could see that Giant's Causeway was about the pass Tiznow as they past the 1/16th pole, and Kinane decided to switch hand with the whip and lost the rein for a couple of seconds and the Giant dropped a head back, only to surge again with only one crack of the whip right-handed as Kinane finally regained the rein. The 3yo Giant's Causeway was as game as they come. He responds to the whip like no other horses, for a much longer distance than a typical maximum guideliine of a half furlong. On the same day, Europe's top older horse Kalanisi won the Breeders Cup Turf with a magnificent surge at the end. In his previous start Kalanisi defeated the mighty Montjeu to win the Champion Stakes. Two starts before that he finished second twice to Giant's Causeway, both after a stirring stretch battle when he produced the same tremendous stretch kick only to be turned away. The 2000 Eclipse Stakes at Sandowns Park was a classic. It was a 10f but undulating course with a 4 furlong stretch (more than double the length of the Belmont Park stretch) might as well be 12f in American standards. As Giant's Causeway put away the highly regarded 3yo race favorite Sakhee in the uphill part of the stretch (Sakhee would come back at 4 to destroy the fields in the Juddmonte Internationational and the Arc, only to finish second to Tiznow in the 2001 BC Classic), Kalanisi was gearing up for a powerful finish going to the downhill final portion of the stretch. It is still hard to believe that the Giant somehow managed to hold him off. That was the most stirring victory since Silver Charm won the 1999 Dubai World Cup after putting away 4 different challengers in the stretch. I'll Have Another is almost at that level in terms of gameness. Only in America that people dismiss such courage and heart in favor of the fastest time or the easiest and flashiest finish. Our kids watch the MTV program Cribs and think that the goal in life is to buy things. Well, at least we live in the world's first and only consumer driven capitalist market. This is way less shallow than calling Secretariat the great because he set track records and won by 31 lengths, which by the way was the only time that he won by 10L or more.
Sean Walker More than 1 year ago
We knew Mr. Baffert would do the right thing by the horse. Let's face it, Bodemeister has been playing catch up all year. (He never raced as a 2yo) The horse needs a break both physically and mentally. To ask him to do more at the point, would risk losing this wonderful animal to injury or, worse, he could suffer a crisis of confidense. So our hats off to Bob Baffert on this one.
Grass Is Greener More than 1 year ago
Luckily the connections of Alydar, Bet Twice, Easy Goer, Victory Gallop didn't think like that. D Wayne Lukas probably should have with Winning Colors.
Jack More than 1 year ago
Mr Baffert, Please turn Bodie into an 870 specialist, You've got the PERFECT jock in Mike Smith. Yes the ONLY Jock in the WORLD that could get Zenyatta beat.. Your arrogant ways COST Bodie the DERBY and the Preakness. Martin Garcia is 3 Lemghts BETTER than Mike Smith every was, YOU do the math BOBBY. Hell Bill Sparw tried to REPLACE Laffit with Mike Smith and NEARLY STARVED TO DEATH.. WAKE-UP BOB..
Dave Schuler More than 1 year ago
i woudnt say m.gar is better than smith but im betting on m.gar a lot-lolk-DS
Meydan Rocks More than 1 year ago
Jack? I knew Bobby Kennedy. Jack? You are no Bobby Kennedy. Baffert's record speaks for itself. A little more respect, please? Jack?
James McGaughan More than 1 year ago
Smitty put a flawless ride on Bode in the Preakness and just got beat. I agree the Kentucky Derby ride was awful but it sounds like those were the instructions that Smith got, so blame Baffert. Smith is a HOFer and deserves respect.
Anonymous More than 1 year ago
Who in the world would say Martin Garcia is better than Mike Smith? Until Matin has the resume Mike does lets keep shut. Martin has made mistakes also along with every other jockey in the country. Including Ramon D, who is top 3 riders. Martin has more mounts because he is younger so more opportunities to win.. Nobody because of his derby ride should discredit his career EVER. Martin is a great jockey but he is no Mike Smith yet!! Mile did ride a perfect ride in the Preakness, IHA in my opinion If healthy woulda took the crown. So who cares what happen he still would caught mike even if he went slower.
Peggs Wathen More than 1 year ago
CC's undoing was the traveling, I believe......I don't think he beats IHA in the Preakness regardless, but without shipping him cross-country so much, he's definitely finishes closer to the top pair at Pimlico !!! Remember, the BC Classic is at SA this yr....IHA and CC (if he runs in it) should be major players !!!
chad mc rory More than 1 year ago
Where is Michael Moreno? I've not seen a word about him since Derby Day...
Steven More than 1 year ago
Unless BC Mile is the goal Harrington is thinking, this is a waste of time. The handicap division is not tough at all. CC ran two nice races at Del Mar last year try the San Diego to get a gage on the older runners then PC or Del Mar Derby.
romeo More than 1 year ago
Creative Cause is becoming the 2012 version of Brillant Speed. BC turf now the goal
Grass Is Greener More than 1 year ago
No, it's only because Del Mar has limited graded stakes options for 3yo on the main track. If Creative Cause is good enough, he will most likely be pointed to a main track BC race at Santa Anita which could be his preferred dirt track. He has never started on turf while Brilliant Speed was already an established turf and synthetic horse before he ran in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Donna Straley More than 1 year ago
I think CC's pedigree has more to do with putting him on the turf than any other considerations. It's a logical next step for a horse sired by Giant's Causeway.
DrSmoke120 More than 1 year ago
Wow, the Swaps Stakes is only worth 150k! Shows how times have changed.
LamarH More than 1 year ago
I think CC will be really tough to beat on the turf. I like the move. Kudos Mr. Harrington.